


Decisions

by MyFirstAndLastVow09



Series: Rain In Gotham [4]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:21:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyFirstAndLastVow09/pseuds/MyFirstAndLastVow09
Summary: Ed's jealousy reaches its peak. How oblivious can one intelligent riddle man be? Oswald doesn't appreciate something Ed does.





	

Ed made his excuses when he took Isabella home early. He didn’t have to take a large leap, though. He did feel rather sick, and couldn’t fathom why. He didn’t relish the look of disappointment on her face, but promised to make it up to her over the weekend. It was around 8 when he arrived back at the Manor. He climbed out of the cab, paid the driver and made his way up the driveway. He noticed the light to Oswald’s office was still on. Rather odd, he thought and crossed the lawn to the left of the house where Oswald’s window was. What he saw, however, made him turn red with rage, and he began to shake and clench his fists. 

He saw Jim with his hand on Oswald’s shoulder, kneeling in front of him. Oswald looking at Jim like he had the world at his feet, with Jim there. Then…the hug. The dratted hug! “What the hell is going on?” he whispered to himself. What do you think? A voice in his head muttered, laced with sarcasm. “No, they aren’t together. Oswald told me himself it was over.” 

Ed ducked behind the bushes there when he watched Jim leave the house. Jim had a faint smile that graced his features, but didn’t look disheveled. Nothing had happened, or so it seemed to Ed. He watched Jim drive away before he entered the house. He closed the front door and took a deep breath. 

Inhale. 

Exhale. 

Inhale—

Ed felt like he was going to be sick. He was so angry at what he saw that he couldn’t move. He was frozen to the spot. 

“Olga? Was someone at the door?” he heard Oswald shout through the house. He heard Oswald’s cane tapping on the floor, and he was even more rooted to the spot. 

Oswald was surprised to see Ed, to say the least. “Good God, Ed! It’s just you. I wasn’t expecting visitors tonight. I rescheduled the meeting for tomorrow evening. You know you didn’t have to be here for it, right?” 

“Y-yes, I know.” Ed managed to get out. 

“I didn’t expect you until the morning,” Oswald pointed out. 

“I-I didn’t feel very well, and I took Isabella home,” Ed explained, which wasn’t far from the truth. He just left out the part where he was spying on his friend. Now he felt guilty for doing so. 

“Are you alright? Can I get you anything?” Oswald offered. 

“No, I think I am just going to retire for the evening.” Ed muttered. 

“Oh, well. Alright. Good night, Ed,” Oswald smiled at him. 

“Goodnight, Oswald.”

Oswald didn’t get two feet from him before Ed finally found his footing. He couldn’t stand it anymore, and he needed answers. He got right in his path, stopping Oswald from moving forward. 

“Ed! What--?”

“I saw you,” 

“Saw me what?” 

“With him. I saw you with him,” Ed bit out through gritted teeth. 

“Who? You have to be a little more specific Ed, and I’ve had a really long day.” Oswald sighed. He had no idea what Ed was talking about and he was more than worn out, physically and emotionally. He still had a lot of thinking to do, and with Ed standing so close, it wasn’t helping matters at all. 

“With Jim! I saw you through the window!” Ed yelled. He had never yelled at Oswald before now, and regretted it somewhat when he saw the other man’s eyes flash dangerously at him. 

“You were spying on me? I thought you had gone out!” Oswald was appalled at Ed’s behavior. Had he been spying? Did he hear what Jim had said? What HE had said? He felt the fear down in his gut and it made him grip his cane tightly. 

“I did go out! I came back early and noticed your office light on,” Ed explained, rather quickly. 

“So?” Oswald growled. 

“I thought something was wrong,” Ed lied. He knew he was digging an even deeper hole for himself, but he tried not to care. Although, it probably wasn’t wise to back yourself up in a corner, whenever Oswald Cobblepot was the one that was confronting you. 

“You do realize that you are a terrible liar, Ed.” 

“What?” 

“You WERE spying on me, for God knows what reason, and I do not appreciate it. My meeting with Jim this evening was none of your business,” Oswald spat. 

“What was he doing here in the first place? Didn’t realize you two were so close,” Ed knew he was hitting below the belt, but he didn’t much care at the moment. 

Oswald smirked. Ok, Ed. Let’s play it your way, he thought. “So what if we are?” 

“W-what?” Ed stuttered. 

“So. What. If. We. Are?”

“You said you two had split up,” Ed pointed out. His hands were shaking, and his entire body felt numb. 

“That was because everything with Falcone, Fish and Maroni. It got to be too complicated, you know this. Everything has calmed back down, for the most part.” Oswald explained, in a too sweet voice. 

“But—but—“Ed kept stuttering. Ha, gotcha. Oswald thought. Ed NEVER stuttered. EVER. 

“But, what?” 

“I don’t know,” Ed finally breathed out. 

“Jim is a good friend. As far as I am aware, it is not against the law to have a conversation with a friend. It was nice, spending time with him. More than I can say for you; ever since you met that…woman. She has had your undivided attention since you met her, and quite frankly, she doesn’t know you like I do, Ed. Yet, you seem to enjoy her company more than mine. As you have no doubt made perfectly clear over these past two weeks. As happy as I am that you have found your TRUE LOVE, maybe it’s time I have found my own.” Oswald was visibly shaking with fury. “Now, I am hungry and tired. I have had a really long day, as I’ve said, and I am going to bid you goodnight.” He walked away as quickly as he could, cane tapping against the floor. He was so mad at Ed! How dare Ed act like this when he did nothing wrong! He knew he was playing dirty using Jim against him like that, but he had started it. 

Ed stared at Oswald’s retreating back, and as he came back to himself, practically ran upstairs to his room he had at the Manor. He was panting heavily, and he leaned against his door, trying to catch his breath. What had come over him tonight? He knew Oswald was friends with Jim but why did it hurt so much to know that? Yes, they had been together for a short while, but that was history. Oswald said it was a mutual split, with no bad blood between them, so to speak. Just wrong place, wrong time, Oswald had said, even though at the time he knew his friend had been in love with Jim Gordon. He knew he had to apologize to Oswald and explain why he was so angry at the sight of them hugging…but that was after he understood why himself. He took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. He hung the jacket on the back of the chair and began to pace. 

“Why did it affect me like that?” Ed muttered aloud to himself. “Moreover, why did it affect me so strongly? Oswald comes into contact with more and more people on a daily basis, and yet I’ve never felt the need to wrap my hands around their necks.” 

“True, but he never dated any of those people, now did he?” His traitorous other self said, with a smirk. He glanced into the mirror on the back of the door. 

“Shut up. You know nothing.” Ed was pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair.

“Oh, don’t I? I know a lot of things. Like…how angry you were when you saw them together.” 

“Oswald can have friends other than me. I overreacted. I will apologize and explain everything tomorrow.” Ed decided. Yes, that would be best. 

“Overreacted? Buddy, you did everything but brand him saying he’s yours,” Other Ed supplied, unhelpfully. 

“What are you going on about? Oswald is not mine.” 

“Oh, nothing. Just that little voice in your head that’s laughing at your obliviousness to everything around you.” 

“I am NOT oblivious! There isn’t anything going on between them!” Ed practically yelled. 

“Not between Oswald and Ji-im…” Other Ed sang out. Then Ed heard nothing but silence in his own mind. He couldn’t stand the fact that there was something he just wasn’t seeing. 

He had to apologize to Oswald. Whether he understood things or not, he needed to make things right. With Oswald being angry at him, he felt even worse than before. 

Oswald was more confused than ever. Why had Ed been spying on him? It brought him back to when they first met, and Ed was literally following him all over GCPD as he looked for Jim. He smiled at the memory. He even told him a riddle back then, as well as a ‘Penguin’ fact. So, what Oswald didn’t understand is why Ed had a problem seeing him with Jim. It’s not like there was anything going on between them, and Oswald wanted the company tonight, since Ed was yet again out with Isabella. 

“What the hell?” Oswald wondered aloud, as he picked at his food. 

“You alright, Boss?” Gabe must have heard his wonderings. Oswald nodded at him. 

“Yes, Gabe. Everything locked up?” 

“Good and tight. Had to recheck the door after Ed came in, though. Made a ruckus, I heard,” 

“He just wasn’t feeling well. I’m sure he’ll be alright in the morning.” 

“Whatever you say, Boss.” Gabe muttered and walked out of the dining room. 

Oswald continued thinking about the happenings of the evening, including his discussion with Jim. How was he going to tell Ed now? He knew he had to. If Ed rejected his feelings, he would be heartbroken, but would survive. As long as he knew Ed would be in his life, even as a friend, then he felt better knowing that. A buzzing from his pocket brought him out of his thoughts, and he pulled his phone out. He sighed as he was kicking himself for not remembering to leave it in his office. However, he smiled as he saw who the text was from. 

From: Jim  
Do NOT chicken out. Tell him ASAP. Good luck. 

To: Jim  
I won’t. I agree, it needs to be done. Goodnight, Jim. 

From: Jim  
Goodnight, Os. 

Oswald closed his phone and returned it to his pocket. No matter what, he decided he would meet with Ed privately tomorrow and tell him. No fancy dinner, no preamble. Even with their disagreement they had this evening, it needed to be out in the open. He understood now that he got his hopes up way too high with maybe having Ed reciprocate his feelings with the whole plan he had in place before. This time, there would be no ‘chickening out’, as Jim put it. He made his decision. It was now or never.

**Author's Note:**

> Almost nearing the end folks! To all who have read and enjoyed so far, I appreciate every one of you! Thank you.


End file.
